Science Education (BS): Biology Concentration
The Science Education: Biology concentration (BS) degree is one of five undergraduate degree options in the Science Education program in the Department of STEM Education.
This degree program prepares teacher-leaders to have a deep understanding of the pedagogical strategies to teach high school Biology and other Life Science courses. Students complete courses focused on Biology and Science education, obtain relevant pedagogical experiences while immersed in rich field experiences in science classrooms, and emphasize teaching science with technology. Upon successful completion of the program, students are recommended for an initial North Carolina teaching license in grades 9-12. They will be able to seek employment opportunities in education and make a positive difference in their communities.
The goals and objectives of the BS degree in Science Education are:
- To enable and ensure that each prospective teacher enriches his/her life through a comprehensive university education
- To develop the professional qualities and academic background needed to teach science to all student levels in the grade for which the teacher is certified
- To develop a general knowledge foundation upon which specialized professional knowledge is built, and upon which a well-rounded university education is the base
Coursework for the degree is divided into four types of knowledge:
- General pedagogical knowledge — the nature of learners and general principles of instruction
- Content-area knowledge — knowledge of the natural sciences
- Pedagogical content knowledge — principles of curriculum, instruction and assessment directly related to the natural sciences
- Context knowledge — understanding the culture of the school, community and society in which educational institutions exist and function
Students in this program also have the opportunity to participate in:
- Undergraduate research
- The student chapter of the NC Science Teachers Association (NCSTA), and other high impact experiences such as Passport to Success, SAY Village, and study abroad
- Outreach and tutoring in local schools
For more information about this program, visit our website.
Contact
Department of STEM Education
North Carolina State University
208 Poe Hall, 2310 Stinson Drive
Raleigh, NC 27695
Plan Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orientation | |||
| ED 100 | Intro to Education 1 | 2 | |
| or ED 150/151 | Students Advocating for Youth I | ||
| Communication/Advanced Writing | |||
| Choose from: | 3 | ||
| Public Speaking | |||
| Interpersonal Communication | |||
| Argumentation and Advocacy | |||
| Science Communication and Public Engagement | |||
| Literature and Medicine | |||
| Communication for Engineering and Technology | |||
| Communication for Science and Research | |||
| Analysis of Scientific and Technical Writing | |||
| Mathematics | |||
| Choose from: | 3-4 | ||
| Elements of Calculus | |||
| Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A | |||
| Calculus I | |||
| Choose from: | 3-4 | ||
| Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B | |||
| Calculus II | |||
| Introduction to Statistics | |||
(Biology BA double major choose ST 311) | |||
| Sciences | |||
| BIO 181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity 2 | 4 | |
| BIO 183 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology 2 | 4 | |
| CH 101 & CH 102 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science and General Chemistry Laboratory 2 | 4 | |
| Choose from: | 4 | ||
| Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Lab 2 | |||
| Introductory Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry I Lab 2 | |||
| PY 131 | Conceptual Physics 2 | 4 | |
| or PY 211 | College Physics I | ||
| Earth and Environmental Science Electives 2 | 7 | ||
| PB 360 | Ecology 2 | 4 | |
| or AEC 360 | Ecology | ||
| GN 311 | Principles of Genetics 2 | 3-4 | |
| or GN 301 | Genetics in Human Affairs | ||
| Life Science Electives 200+ Level 2 | 3 | ||
| Life Science Electives 300/400 Level 2 | 7 | ||
| Advised Science Electives 2 | 6 | ||
| Science Education | |||
| EMS 205 | Introduction to Teaching Science 3 | 2 | |
| EMS 373 | Instructional Materials in Science 1 | 3 | |
| EMS 375 | Methods of Teaching Science I 3 | 3 | |
| EMS 475 | Methods of Teaching Science II 3 | 3 | |
| EMS 476 | Student Teaching in Science 1, 4 | 10 | |
| EMS 495 | Senior Seminar in Mathematics and Science Education 1, 4 | 2 | |
| General Education and Psychology | |||
| ED 204 | Introduction to Teaching in Today's Schools 1 | 2 | |
| ELP 344 | School and Society 1 | 3 | |
| ED 311 & ED 312 | Classroom Assessment Principles and Practices and Classroom Assessment Principles and Practices Professional Learning Lab 1 | 3 | |
| ECI 416 | Teaching Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms 1 | 3 | |
| EDP 304 | Educational Psychology 1 | 3 | |
| History & Philosophy of Science Education Elective | 3 | ||
| Free Electives | 0-7 | ||
| GEP Courses | |||
| ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4 | |
| GEP Humanities (verify requirement) | 0-6 | ||
| GEP Social Sciences (verify requirement) | 0-3 | ||
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 2 | ||
| GEP Additional Breadth (Humanities/Social Sciences/Visual and Performing Arts) | 3 | ||
| GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives (verify requirement) | |||
| GEP U.S. Diversity (verify requirement) | |||
| GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement) | |||
| World Language Proficiency (verify requirement) | |||
| Total Hours | 120 | ||
- 1
A grade of C or higher is required.
- 2
A grade of C or higher is required for science content courses, up to two courses with a grade below a C is permitted
- 3
A grade of B- or higher is required.
- 4
Admission to the Professional Semester is required.
Earth and Environmental Science Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choose from: | |||
| Introduction to Environmental Sciences | |||
| Earth from Space | |||
| Water and the Environment | |||
| Climate Change and Sustainability | |||
| Energy and Environment | |||
| Earth System Science: Exploring the Connections | |||
| Geology I: Physical | |||
| Geology I Laboratory | |||
| Introduction to Weather and Climate | |||
| Introduction to Weather and Climate Laboratory | |||
| Environmental Issues in Water Resources | |||
| Introduction to Oceanography | |||
| Geology II: Historical | |||
| Oceanography Lab | |||
| Geology II Laboratory | |||
| Introduction to Atmospheric Sciences | |||
| Introduction to Coastal Environments | |||
| Introduction to Coastal Environments Laboratory | |||
| Human Dimensions of Climate Change | |||
| Environmental Geology | |||
| Fundamentals of Air Pollution | |||
| Fundamentals of Air Quality and Climate Change | |||
Life Science Electives 200+ Level
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any 200+ Level BIO, BCH, BSC, ENT, MB, PB, or ZO course | |||
| Any course from the list below: | |||
| Physiology of Domestic Animals | |||
| Reproductive Physiology | |||
| Reproductive Physiology Lab | |||
| Plant Genetics | |||
| Introduction to Forest Science | |||
| Forest Ecology | |||
| Forest Communities | |||
| Forest Wildlife | |||
| Conservation of Natural Resources | |||
| Marine Biology | |||
| Biology of Marine Mammals | |||
| Kingdom of Fungi | |||
Life Science Electives 300/400 Level
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANY 300+ Level AEC, BIO, BCH, BSC, ENT, GN, MB, PB, or ZO course | |||
| Any course from the list below: | |||
FOR 339 | |||
| Wildlife Management | |||
| Mammalogy | |||
| Marine Conservation Biology | |||
| Life on Earth: Principles of Paleontology | |||
| Ecology of Coastal Resources | |||
| Conservation of Biological Diversity | |||
Advised Science Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANY 200+ Level AEC, BIO, BCH, BSC, CH, ENT, ES, MB, MEA, PB, PY, ZO | |||
| ANY GEP Natural Sciences course (except BIO 105/106, CH 111) | |||
| ANS 150 | Introduction to Animal Science | 3 | |
| ANS 205 | Physiology of Domestic Animals | 3 | |
| ANS 206 | Anatomy of Domestic Animals Lab | 1 | |
| ANS 220 | Reproductive Physiology | 3 | |
| ANS 221 | Reproductive Physiology Lab | 1 | |
| BIO 165 | |||
| CS 211 | Plant Genetics | 3 | |
| ES 100 | Introduction to Environmental Sciences | 3 | |
| ES 111 | Applications of Environmental Sciences | 1 | |
| ES 150 | Water and the Environment | 3 | |
| FOR 252 | Introduction to Forest Science | 3 | |
| FOR 260 | Forest Ecology | 4 | |
| FOR 261 | Forest Communities | 2 | |
| FOR 264 | Forest Wildlife | 1 | |
| FOR 339 | |||
| FW 353 | Wildlife Management | 3 | |
| FW 404 | Wildlife Habitat Management | 3 | |
| FW 405 | Tropical Wildlife Ecology | 3 | |
| FW 444 | Mammalogy | 3 | |
| FW 453 | Principles of Wildlife Science | 4 | |
| FW 460 | International Wildlife Management and Conservation | 3 | |
| NR 303 | Humans and the Environment | 3 | |
| NR 406 | Conservation of Biological Diversity | 3 | |
History & Philosophy of Science Education Elective
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choose from: | |||
| Equity and Education | |||
| Scientific Revolution and European Society, 1500-1800 | |||
| Rise of Modern Science | |||
| Science, American Style | |||
| Technology in History | |||
| History of the Life Sciences | |||
| Darwinism in Science and Society | |||
| Science and Religion in European History | |||
| Science in European Culture | |||
| History of American Technology | |||
| Philosophy of Science | |||
| The Scientific Method | |||
| Women and Gender in Science and Technology | |||
| Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society | |||
| Science and Civilization | |||
| Contemporary Science, Technology and Human Values | |||
| Darwinism and Christianity | |||
| Issues in Science, Technology, and Society | |||
Semester Sequence
This is a sample.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| ED 100 or ED 150/151 | Intro to Education 1 or Students Advocating for Youth I | 2 |
| BIO 181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity 2 | 4 |
| CH 101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science 2 | 3 |
| CH 102 | General Chemistry Laboratory 2 | 1 |
| MA 121 or MA 131 | Elements of Calculus or Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A | 3 |
| ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4 |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| BIO 183 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology 2 | 4 |
| CH 221 & CH 222 or CH 220 | Organic Chemistry I 2 or Introductory Organic Chemistry | 4 |
| MA 231 or ST 311 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences B or Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| Communication/Advanced Writing Req. | 3 | |
Choose from: | ||
| Public Speaking | ||
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Argumentation and Advocacy | ||
| Science Communication and Public Engagement | ||
| Literature and Medicine | ||
| Communication for Engineering and Technology | ||
| Communication for Science and Research | ||
| Analysis of Scientific and Technical Writing | ||
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| AEC 360 or PB 360 | Ecology 2 or Ecology | 4 |
| PY 131 or PY 211 | Conceptual Physics 2 or College Physics I | 4 |
| Earth and Environmental Science Elective w/ Lab 2 | 4 | |
| GEP Humanities | 3 | |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ED 204 | Introduction to Teaching in Today's Schools 1 | 2 |
| EMS 205 | Introduction to Teaching Science 3 | 2 |
| EDP 304 | Educational Psychology 1 | 3 |
| GEP Additional Breadth (Humanities/Social Sciences/Visual and Performing Arts) | 3 | |
| Earth and Environmental Science Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Advised Science Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| EMS 373 | Instructional Materials in Science 1 | 3 |
| ELP 344 | School and Society 1 | 3 |
| GN 311 or GN 301 | Principles of Genetics 2 or Genetics in Human Affairs | 3-4 |
| History & Philosophy of Science Education Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Life Science 200+ Level Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| EMS 375 | Methods of Teaching Science I 3 | 3 |
| ED 311 & ED 312 | Classroom Assessment Principles and Practices and Classroom Assessment Principles and Practices Professional Learning Lab 1 | 3 |
| Life Science Electives 300/400 Level 2 | 4 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| EMS 475 | Methods of Teaching Science II 3 | 3 |
| ECI 416 | Teaching Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms 1 | 3 |
| Life Science Electives 300/400 Level 2 | 3 | |
| Advised Science Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| EMS 476 | Student Teaching in Science 3, 4 | 10 |
| EMS 495 | Senior Seminar in Mathematics and Science Education 1, 4 | 2 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
- 1
A grade of C or higher is required.
- 2
A grade of C or higher is required for science content courses, up to two courses with a grade below a C is permitted
- 3
A grade of B- or higher is required.
- 4
Prior admission to the Professional Semester is required.
Career Opportunities
Career Titles
- Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary
- Biology Professor
- Chemistry Professor
- Elementary School Teacher
- Environmental Science Professor
- High School Teacher
- Middle School Teacher
- Physics Professor
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